Road actuated safety signal for vehicles



Oct 6, 1953 E. H. AUSTIN ROAD ACTUATED SAFETY SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. l1, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Za Zz' INVENTOR /All/ 49 Effe/@52m ATTORNEYS Ot. 6, 1953 EI H, AUS-HN 2,654,876

ROAD ACTUATED SAFETY SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. l1, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENTOR HJua 2'12 I ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROAD ACTUATED SAFETY SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a safety signal device for vehicles.

An object of this invention is to provide a safety signal in a motor vehicle which is designed to warn the driver of a danger point in a highway, and an improved means for automatically actuating the signal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a safety signal which is mounted in a vehicle with an improved electric circuit or circuits and circuit closer adapted to be actuated by an obstruction in the highway ahead of a danger peint. In the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed a spring-pressed obstruction is mounted in the highway and a switch operator is secured to the vehicle, preferably to a bumper, in a position to contact the obstruction to thereby move the switch to a circuit closing position. The circuit includes a flasher signal with a manual switch also in the circuit so that the operation of the f signal can be manually cut off and the circuit or circuits reset thereby.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a detailed front elevation of a safety signal constructed according to an embodiment of this invention mounted on a vehicle bumper.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing electric circuits embodied in this invention.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the safety tripping member.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical section partly in detail of a modified form of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, and, first, to Figures l to 5, inclusive, the numeral III designates generally a conventional bumper which is mounted on one end of a motor vehicle, preferably the front end of the vehicle.

A horizontally disposed bar I I is disposed below the bumper I0 and at a point spaced upwardly a substantial distance from the surface of a roadway I3. The bar I I has secured thereto a pair of upwardly extending threaded bolts I2 which are slidable through lugs I4 secured to the rear sides and the lower end portions of a pair of depending plates l5. Each bolt I2 has threaded thereon a spring tensioning nut I6, and a spring Il is in- 2 terposed between the nut I6 and the lower side of the lug I4.

A limiting nut I8 is threaded on the upper end portion of each bolt I2 and is adapted under the tension of spring I'I to bear against the upper side of lug I4. The plate I5 is hinged as indicated at i9 to the lower end of a plate 20 and is constantly urged forwardly and downwardly to a vertical operative position by means of a spring 2l. The plate 2Q is hingedly secured as at 22 to an upper plate 23 which is xed to a block 24. rThe plate 26 is constantly urged downwardly and rearwardly to a Vertical position bearing against the forward side of block 24 by means of a spring The block 24 is xed to the forward side of an inverted U-shaped clamping member 26 which engages over the bumper i0 as shown in Figure 2.

An I -shaped bracket 21 has the two bolts 28 carried by the U-shaped clamping member 26 engaging therethrough for securing the lower side 29 of bracket 2l in a horizontal and rearwardly projecting position. The bracket 2T includes a vertical and upwardly extending rear side 30 which has secured to the rear face thereof a single pole double throw switch 3I. The switch 3I is secured to the rear side 30 by means of a U-shaped clamping member 32. The switch 3l includes a spring pressed button or operator 33 projecting forwardly of the vertical side 30 of bracket 2l in a position to be engaged by a switch operating member 34 in the form of a threaded bolt which is threaded through one side 35 of a bellcrank 36. The bellcrank 36 is rockably mounted on a pivot 3'1 carried by the horizontal side 29 of bracket 2l and is spring urged to a forward inoperative position. The bellcrank 36 includes a lower side 38 formed with a downturned forward end 39 disposed in a position to be engaged by a rearwardly projecting cam lug 40 which is xed to the rear side of plate I5. When the bar II is swung rearwardly by engagement with an obstruction or tripping member as will be hereinafter described, plate I5 will swing upwardly and rearwardly so that cam lug 40 will rock the lower side 38 of bellcrank 36 upwardly and rock the upper side 35 of bellcrank 36 rearwardly so that bolt 34 will strike the switch button 33 to effect movement of the movable switch arm from'one circuit closing position to another circuit closing position as will be hereinafter described. The bar II is adapted to strike an upwardly projecting and inverted V-shaped tripping member or obstruction 4I which is rockably carried by a box or housing 42 embedded in the roadway I3. The tripping member 4I includes a pair of laterally projecting pivot members 43 terminating in right angularly disposed arms 44 which project downwardly through openings 45 formed in the top wall 46 of housing 42.

A spring 41 is secured at one end to an arm 44 and is secured at the other end to a screw eye 48 secured to the bottom wall 49 of housing 42. The two springs 41 normally maintain the tripping member 4| in an upright and operative position. The top wall 46 of housing 42 is formed with a pair of opposed V-shaped grooves 59 which are lined with a rubber or yieldable lining so that the tripping member 4| may engage within the groove 50 and be substantially -flush with the Y top surface of the top wall 4 6.

Referring now to Figure 6 there is disclosed a modified form of this invention embodying a lower horizontal bar 52 similar to bar ii which has secured thereto a pair of upwardly projecting bolts 53 slidable through lugs 54. The lugs 54 are carried by a downwardly projecting plate 55, and the bolt 54 has a spring 56 engaging thereabout which is tensioned by means of a nut 51.

A stop nut 58 is threaded on the bolt 53 and bears against the upper side of lug 54. Plate 55 is pivoted as at 59 to the lower end of an upper plate 6|] and is spring pressed to a normal vertical position by means. of a spring 5|. The plate 66 is formed with an arcuate upper end as indicated -at 62 which is hinged as indicated at 63 to o the upper curved end 64 of a block 65. The block 65 is secured by fastening means 66 .to the forward side of the bumper 61, and block 65 is formed at its lower end. with a rearwardly projecting extension 68 to which is secured an L- shaped bracket 69. The bracket 69 includes a lower horizontal side and a rear vertically disposed side 1'|. A switch 12 similar to switch 3| is secured by clamping means 18 to the vertical. side 1| and switch 12 includes a button 14 projecting forwardly through the vertical side 1 A bellcrank is rockably secured to the bracket 69 as indicated at 16 and' includes an upwardly projecting rear side 11 having a bolt 18' threaded thereto for engagement with button T4. The bellcrank 15 is springpressed to a downward inoperative position, and the lower side 19 ofv bellcrank 15. is formed with a downwardly bent forward end 80 which is positioned for engagement with a camv lug 8| xed to'the upper portion of lower plate 55.

Referring now to Figure 3 there are disclosed theelectric circuitsv within thel switches 1-24 and- 3|v are interposed'. Each switch includes a pair'of contactsA 82 and 83' which are selectively engageable by a movable switch arm 84. The switch arm 84- is connected to one side of battery B, and contact 82 is connected by means of a conductor 85' toa contact 86 formed as part of a manually operable switch 81. The switch 81 includes a second contact 88 and a movable switch arm 891. A signaly member 9|) whichmay be a visible or audible signal isv connected at one side tothe ground andl is connected at the other side. to a flashing relay 9|. The relay 9| isconnectedI` by means ofv a conductor 92 to switch arm 89.

Contact 83 is connected. to contact 88-by means of. a conductor 9.3.. When. bar strikes the tripping member 4| thereby swinging plate |5 upwardly and; rearwardly so that switch. button 33 will be positioned' inwardly by bolt. 344 carried by bellcrank 36, switch arm 84 will be moved from contact 82 to the dotted position shown in Figure 3 where switch arm 84 is in engagement or circuit closing position with respect to contact 83. At this time switch 81 will have arm 89 in engagement with contact 88 so that a complete circuit will be closed through flashing relay 9| to signal member 90.

The signal member 90 will continue dashing until manual switch 31 is moved from contact 88 to contact 86. After bar passes tripping member 4| spring 2l will swing plate |5 with bar downwardly to the vertical reset position. When another tripping member 4| is engaged by bar switch button 33 will be pressed, inwardly to shift the switch arm 84 from contact 8-3 to contact 82. At this time manual switch arm 89 will be in engagement with contact 86 so that a complete circuit will be closed to flashing relay 9| and signal member 90. In the event bar should strike tripping member 4| by reverse movement of the vehicle bar the plate i5 will swing upwardly and forwardly, thereby swinging cam lug 40 away' from bellcrank 36.

The structure shown in Figure 6 will operate in the same manner as that shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the exception' that upper plate 68 will swing upwardly and forwardly'upon rearward movement of the vehicle, and engagement with tripping member from. the upper edge of bumper 61. It is contemplated that the tripping member 4| will be disposed at a point approaching a danger spot such as a curve or the like in a roadway in order that the safety signal 98 will be energized sufficiently' ahead of the danger point to permit the operator of the vehicle to slow down or otherwise bring the vehicle into a safe operating position.

I claim:

A safety signal means comprising a pair of electric circuits, a signal circuit, a ashing relay interposed in said signal circuit, a lsignal operable by said relay a. manually operable single pole double throw switch connected between said signal circuit and said pair of circuits, a second single pole double throw switch connected between said signal circuit andsaid pair oi circuits, an operator engageable with said` second' switch, means mounting said operator on a vehicle in a position to engage an upwardly projecting element in a roadway', a normally vertically disposed member engageable with saidv operator t'o effect engagement of the latter, and means mounting said member in a roadway, said second switch being selectively" operable to close either circuit to energize said relay in accordanceY with the position' of said' inst-mentioned' switch'.

EMERY H. AUSTIN.

References Cited in the file of this' patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 499,165 Hartman et al. June 6, 1893 1,306,857 Salchli June 1'1', 1919 1,935,838 Efstathiou Nov. 21,1933 2,144,286 Dawson Jan. 17,V 1939 2,440,587 Krall Apr. 2'1, 1948 2,444,635 Dennis, Jr. July 6, 1948 2,462,656 McLendon Feb. 22, 1949 2,526,057 Whitley, Jr Oct. 11, 1950 2,567,443 OMeara Sept, 11,1951 

